thanks, santa!

Ok, I know, I've been a terrible blogger lately!  Things have been busy, and even when they haven't, I just haven't been on the computer as much the last few days.  With the holidays winding down (but not quite yet!) I hope to get into a better routine. 

Christmas was great.  We had a nice quiet Christmas Eve/morning at home, and then went to have Christmas dinner with our 4 fellow Americans here (2 guys on the team, one of their wives, and baby).  It was wonderful!!  I took my Peppermint Ice Cream/Chocolate cake over for dessert and it was a big hit.  I'll post the recipe tomorrow, promise!  I just want to get the pictures loaded on the computer so I can share those, too :)

Santa was pretty good to me... he had apparently been listening well because he brought me a new hair straightener (European one, since my one from home doesn't work well here) along with some mittens, a scarf, sweater, and various other goodies.  But I have to say, my favorite Christmas gift was....

The Marc Jacobs wallet that matches the purse that J bought me in the fall.  I've only been eyeing it up in the store like, every time I walk in there.  haha.  I'm so excited to have the matching pair now... and I was due for a new wallet, so it was perfect.  I must have been a really good girl this year!

My other favorite present- except this is a birthday present (my b-day is the 30th, I got it a couple days early even!) is the HTC DesireZ Android phone.

I've mentioned on here about missing my Blackberry and how they don't have them here in Finland- well, this is even better!  Aside from the fact that I can't BBM some of my friends :(  this phone is amazing!!  I'm still getting used to it and figuring stuff out, but I love it.  I feel so much more connected to the outside world now that I'm back to having a phone with internet, apps and the like. 

More important than any of our presents, we got to Skype with our families on Christmas.  I am so thankful that we were able to talk to AND SEE them!  It was almost as good as being there in person.  It's hard to think that it was just a few years ago that people couldn't even do that...

Also coming tomorrow, my book review of L.A. Candy, and the second book in the series by Lauren Conrad, Sweet Little Lies.  I read the first one in 48 hours after I got it, and the 2nd one I had all 300 pages finished in 24 hours.  That says one of 3 things:  1) It was a good book, 2) I have wayyy too much time on my hands or 3) All of the above.  Check back tomorrow to hear what I thought of them!

And finally, I know I mentioned that I hoped to spruce up my blog a little bit, but I just haven't gotten around to doing much yet.  That, and I'm fairly computer illiterate when it comes to that kind of stuff.  So, hopefully soon I'll have the time, energy, and patience to sit down and work on it! :)

Tomorrow is the first game back from "break", so hubby is already in bed.  Time for me to head also!  Hope you all had a wonderful Holiday filled with fun, family, food, thanks, goodies, and memories.  Goodnight!